Successful string instrumentalists honored

Exactly 25 student musicians from the East Meadow School District will have the opportunity to show their skills at a prestigious string instrument festival this winter.

The students were selected for the Long Island String Festival Association’s event this month. Formed in 1956, LISFA encourages and supports kids’ musical development and the conductors, celebrating the power of string instruments in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

District officials said students received this honor through teacher nominations. East Meadow teachers had to be LISFA members and include students’ New York State School Music Association scores, their festival category and what instruments they played.

Woodland and W.T. Clarke Middle School students qualified for the elementary judging category (grades 5 to 7). Avantika Uppal, Alyssa Fong and Yana Vilchynskaya, who are all Woodland students, were selected; Katherene Qi and Abishek Ravindran will represent Clarke.

High schoolers were judged on the secondary education level. The W.T. Clarke High School students selected are: Alby Joseph, James Curran, Katya Weiss, Jaclyn Gonzales and Jonathan Cozzoli. Matthew Koegel, Kirkland Sugrim, Jolie Rebelo, Joseph Maltese, Christian Cang Cuesta and Jillian Lucito will represent East Meadow High School at the festival.

Concerts will be held in January and February. For more information about the festival, community members should visit www.lisfamusic.org.